


Life Is A Circus Act

by MV_lit



Series: We're Running Away To The Circus [2]
Category: X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: ABO, Beta Erik, M/M, Omega Charles, Omegaverse, freakshow au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-08 11:43:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7756468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MV_lit/pseuds/MV_lit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Welcome To The Freakshow. I'm splitting this story up into two chapters because I keep hitting writers block and feel bad for keeping you all waiting so long. The next chapter will have the fun fun sexiness. Thank you all for your patience with me.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Life Is A Circus Act

Upon waking up the next morning, Charles had been concerned that the events of a few hours previous would cause a dynamic shift between him and Erik. And it was that concern that sent him scurrying out of Erik’s tent after hastily dressing once first light hit. He kept his head down as he rushed through the slowly waking camp toward the kitchen tent. 

He was rather surprised to find himself the first of the kitchen crew there. Regardless, he began preparing for breakfast. It was rather easy, the menial labor allowing his mind to drift off rather than be stuck in a continuous loop replaying the early morning’s events. 

So lost in his thoughts, he startled upon another of the kitchen crew slipping into the tent, nearly dropping the bowl of eggs he was scrambling. Pasting a nervous smile upon his face he nodded his greeting toward the beta who had slipped in and set to work. The camp had a rotating work schedule, which he believed would be to his benefit as he would never be working with the same people week to week, but unfortunately he was in no mindset to play friendly at the moment.

Luckily, that didn’t seem to bother his fellow workers in the breakfast tent that morning, they too preferring to keep to themselves as they prepared the morning meal. Charles was grateful for their silence, as it allowed him to zone back out and search for the solution to his issue.

By the end of the breakfast rush he had decided upon his course of action. Unsure whether the situation with Erik was a one time deal or not he would keep his distance and try to last the rest of his heat by himself. Once the hormones were no longer heating his blood he would look into opening a conversation with beta.

For the moment this would be the right course of action, best not to complicate things more than the already were. With that decision Charles went about his daily duties, minding to keep distance between him and Erik.

For the most part it was easy, their duties didn’t overlap and Charles was kept busy enough that the beta wasn’t in his conscious mind. But as it began to become evening it became evident that he would have to implore another performer to take over the table for him as he was in no state to be working.

It truly wasn’t too hard, he managed to convince Rémy to run the table for the night, knowing his roommate was quite the sweet talker, not to mention he very dearly owed Charles for the stunt he had pulled the night before.

Sighing in relief, Charles had slipped off to his tent, desperate to collapse into his cot. He had been ignoring the effects of his heat all day and it had begun to get to him, his pulse pounding in his skull. Luckily, his tent wasn’t too far off and it didn’t take him long to strip down and slip under the rough wool blanket.

His senses were heightened in his heat-crazed state and the fabric off the cot beneath him and the blanket he wrapped tight around his bare form felt abrasive against his skin, almost painful. He forced himself to close his eyes, the work of the day quickly pulling him down into slumber. And as he slipped away he couldn’t be bothered to be concerned with where his roommate would bed that night. It seemed he had more than enough special friends within the show, there was little chance he’d be sleeping beneath the sky.  
……….

Erik scowled as he finally managed to slip away from the show. Charles had been avoiding him all day and he was more than a little irritated by the entire situation. He knew very well what had happened the night before and was very well aware that Charles had verbally given his consent. Yet he still couldn’t help berating himself, for how could he know whether Charles had been sober enough to have truly consented. 

He had been in a bad position from the second he woke and found the young omega in heat, now he feared his actions were irreparable. But then again, he had no way of knowing, seeing as Charles had avoided him the entire day and had failed to show up for his task that night, leaving that irritating Cajun boy sitting there and wasting time chatting up any omega who passed the table.

Cigarette sitting bitter in his mouth Erik spat it out, shoving his hands in his pockets against the chill and slouching off toward his tent. There was no reason for him to skulk around in the shadows, he had no one to wait on tonight.

Even still, as he approached his tent he could feel an odd twisting in his chest, a hope which he was quick to quash. Hope or not, he truly wasn’t prepared to slip into his tent and find the naked omega asleep in his cot.

He stood frozen in the entrance to his tent for a long moment before he finally managed to force himself to move, the icy wind biting at his neck encouragement enough. Slowly, quietly, he approached the cot. 

Crouching down, he set a hand on his shoulder, gently attempting to rouse him. “Charles?” A hum sounded in the back of his throat and he shifted but didn’t wake. “Charles.” Erik called to him a bit louder, slightly shaking him. 

The omega groaned and rolled over, blearily blinking up at Erik before he woke enough to shoot up, eyes widening in disbelief. “Erik, what are you doing in my tent?” He hissed, clearly shocked by the beta’s presence there.

“I’m not in your tent, Charles. You’re in mine.”

“That’s not possible, I’m certain I went to my own—” The omega tapered off as he took in his surroundings. He could’ve sworn that— but no, here he is inside of—. Shit.

Nervously, he looked up to Erik uncertain as to what he would find. Oddly enough, the beta seemed more amused by the entire situation than anything else if the quirk of his lips was anything to go by. “Oh.” He fell silent for a moment, looking to where his hands were clasped tightly in his lap before speaking again. “I-I have to go. If you would please—”

Nodding, the beta stood and slipped out of the tent to give Charles privacy while he redressed. Quickly, the omega slid from beneath the blankets and dressed, berating himself the entire time. How could he have been so careless? Was he just so mindless that he managed to find his way into the tent of the one person in the camp he was most desperately trying to avoid.

He shook his head sighing as his eyes raked over the mussed bedclothes. He had no doubts that they were now completely permeated with the scent of his heat. He would have to trade with Erik until he could wash the sheets for him.

Gathering what little dignity he had left he held his head and and stepped out of the tent. He found Erik a few feet away leaning against a supply truck, cigarette tucked between his lips. As he approached he realized that the beta was deep in thought, his eyes holding a far away look. 

Upon realizing the omega was near Erik looked over flicking away his cigarette and standing, walking closer. “Are you alright, Charles—”

“I’m fine.” He spoke, cutting him off. “I must apologize deeply, I did not realize— I don’t know why I—”

“Charles, it’s fine.” The beta spoke up, putting an end to the stuttered apologies. “This place can be a bit hard to navigate, especially once the sun goes down. I can’t tell you how many times I nearly walked into the wrong tent when I first came here. You’ll eventually get used to it, I promise.”

Sighing, Charles pursed his lips and fixed Erik with a look. “Why are you being so nice about this?”

“It was a genuine mistake, it’s fine.” Erik reassured him.

Charles nodded. “I—Your sheets smell a bit. Mine are clean, I’ll go fetch them for you. I’ll wash your sheets once my heat is done.”

“Charles, don’t worry about it. If you’re so concerned about it you can stay in my tent until your heat finishes and I’ll keep your tent mate company.” Erik spoke, trying not to show his displeasure at the thought of being around the Cajun.

“Are— are you sure? I don’t want to impose.” Charles spoke.

“Oh no, it’s fine. I don’t mind.” Erik replied shaking his head.

“If you’re sure—” 

By that point Erik had already turned and begun walking away. “Sleep well, Charles.” He called over his shoulder as he disappeared into the night.

………..

Surprisingly enough, Charles found he actually did sleep well, or at least better than he had in his own cot. Unfortunately, his heat had woken him early in the morning and, desire unquenched, would prevent him from working for the time being.

Charles had begun to regret his decision to avoid Erik as his heat grew worse and he was forced to try to relieve his needs himself, not that he very much could. As the morning wore on he began to believe he would pass out from the pain of the pressure of his heat, his ministrations doing nothing more than stoking the flames and he found himself helpless to stop them. Long past the point of aching, his muscles were trembling as he strained back to try to shove his fingers deeper into his twitching entrance, nearly crying out in frustration as even with this angle his fingers fell teasingly short of the itch inside him.

So caught up in his hormone flooded mind he didn’t notice when another entered the tent. It wasn’t until he heard a low rumbling growl that he turned to face the intruder. His eyes widened in fear and he pulled the blanket tighter around himself, breath catching in his chest as the immense figure of the show’s Savage Man.

Stricken dumb, he scooted back as far as he could, cowering in the cot. He could not even find the mind power to prepare himself for what he believed to be the inevitable. The giant lumbered closer, blond hair hanging in long, matted strands about his face. There was no way to mistake the gleam in his beady eyes.

It was the end, Charles thought. He had merely traded one prison for another, it seemed nothing he could do could prevent him from ending up tied to a domineering alpha, and this beast would be far worse than any his parents could’ve chosen. 

Charles had given up hope of escape and pressed himself back until the cot began to tip up. “Get out! Shoo! Shoo! Out with you! This is not your place!” Looking up Charles found that the blond had whirled around to face the front of the tent where Erik had slipped through unnoticed. “You heard me, go!” He spoke, waving the alpha off as one would a pesky dog.

For a moment the omega was afraid the man would tear the beta’s head off and go about taking Charles for his own, but to his great surprise the hulking beast headed out the door, slouching off. Once gone, Erik walked over to Charles. “Are you alright?” He gently asked, crouching down to be level with the cot.

“Yes, I’m fine, really, just a bit frightened is all.” Charles replied, running his clean hand through his hair and settling back on the cot. “But Erik, how’d you do that? The man’s easily twice your size. I was certain he’d kill you.”

The beta smiled sharply. “I thought you’d learned of my reputation here, Charles. People tend to steer clear.”

Scooting to the edge of the bed he wrapped his arms tightly around Erik, burying his head in the crook of his neck. “Thank you, Erik. I thought—” He trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging in the air between them. Nothing more needed to be said, they both were aware of what could’ve happened had Erik not shown up.

Though surprised, Erik belatedly wrapped his arms around Charles, gently rubbing the overheated skin of his back. “It’s nothing, my friend. Don’t worry about it. I won’t let anything happen to you.”


End file.
